function y = createElementContainer()
y = struct( 'stress',[],...
        'constitutiveMatrix',[],...
        'E',0,...
        'nu',0,...
        'TensileStrength',0,...
        'KinematicHardeningModulus',0,...
        'IsotropicHardeningModulus',0,...
        'alpha',[],... %internal variable for isotropic hardening
        'alpha_old',[],...
        'ep',[],... %plastic strain (engineering notation)
        'ep_old',[],...
        'isActivated',1,...
        'isPlastic',0);
end
